PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 BX 7759 .W634 Z76 
 Thomlinson, William. 
 Thomas Whitwell 
 
THOMAS WmTWELL.( • may \ 
 
 A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
 
 WITH 
 
 APPENDICES. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 7 
 
 WILLIAM THOMLINSON. 
 
 pibblcsbrougb * Stockton: 
 THE "gazette" steam PRINTING AND PUBLISHING OFFICES. 
 
 1918 
 
 i^onbon : 
 
 SAMl. HAKRIS i; Co., 5, BISHOPSGATE WITHOUT, E.C. 
 
" Tlic spohen word, the written poem, i.^ said to he an epitome 
 of tlir iii'iii. Hon: much more the done trork. Wliotsoever of moralitt/ 
 and intr/liijence, ichat of patience, j)ersevera.nce, faithfidness, of method, 
 insi<iht^ enenjij — i)i a trord, irhatsoerer of Strength the nrtji had in 
 him irill he ivritten in the irork he does.'" — Carlyle. 
 
 " But the souls of the righteous are in the hand if God, and 
 there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unu ise thty 
 sicnu'd to die, and their departure is taken for misenj, and their going 
 from us to he utter destruction, hut theij are in peace,'''' — Wisdom, hi. 
 
NOTICE TO THE HEADER. 
 
 The brief Sketch here given attempts to do no more than simply 
 outline the life of the late Thomas "Whitwell. The desii-e is that 
 the memoiy of a life nobly and unselfishlj^ lived, of a death 
 noblj' and unselfishly met, may be strengthened in the hearts of 
 those who knew the beauty of the one and the heroism of the 
 other. 
 
 W. THOMLINSON. 
 
 Stockton-ux-Tels, 
 
 October 1st, 1878. 
 
THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 YOUTH AND APPRENTICESHIP. 
 
 Thomas ^YHITWELL was the third son of William and Sarah 
 Whitwell, of Kendal, and was born there on the 24th October, 1837. 
 The first nine years of his life were spent at home. His education 
 was principally confided to the hands of private tutors, one of 
 whom — James Stevenson — afterwards became a minister of some 
 repute in the Scottish Church. In 1847 he was entered at 
 York School, then, as now, one of the leading educational estab- 
 lishments of the Society of Friends, and he remained there, under 
 the care of John Ford, the able suj)erintendent, until the comple- 
 tion of his education, December, 1853. 
 
 It is not the intention in this sketch to linger over this 
 part of Thomas Whitw^ell's history. He differed Uttle from 
 other boys of his age, for the features which rendered his after 
 career remarkable were such as needed special training and 
 special ciicumstances to develop them. Of one thing, however, 
 there can be little doubt ; the seed, which in after life bore such 
 fair fruit, had thus early been sown. His mind, ever pecuHarly 
 frank and open, must, in the days of childhood and youth, have 
 been fraught with vivid impressions. The simple every-day 
 manners of those with whom he came into contact, the natural 
 surroundings of his place of birth, the lessons of his parents and 
 
8 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 his teachers, had their effect ujoon him, and laid the foundation of 
 that desire to walk in the highest pathway open to man which 
 became in later years the aim of his life. 
 
 In 1853, at the age of 16, he left York, and the following 
 year, in company with his elder brother, William, he came to 
 the North of England. The South Durham and Cleveland 
 district was at that time growing in importance. Three years 
 XDreviously the main seam of;^ ironstone had been struck, and 
 iron manufacture was assuming considerable proportions. Some 
 relatives who had left Kendal were x^rospering, and after due 
 dehberation Mr. Whitwell, Senior, decided, therefore, upon sending 
 two of his sons into the new field of industry. Darlington was the 
 place selected. Thomas was apprenticed to Alfred Kitching, who 
 was the owner of the only locomotive building shop in the town, 
 and under him he learnt the first rudiments of the profession in 
 which he was afterwards, in connection with metallurgy, to become 
 so useful and so distinguished a member. Although occupied all 
 day with mechanics, he devoted a great portion of his leisure time 
 to their study. " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with 
 thy might" was a command which he obeyed, not only because it 
 was a command, but because his heart inspired him to the work. 
 He was a great favourite with the workmen. His innate goodness of 
 heart and kmd disposition won the esteem of all with whom he 
 came into contact, and every hand was willing to give him help 
 and assistance when heli? and assistaiice were required. " How" 
 and "Why" were constant questions, and his inventive talents 
 
YOUTH AXD APPRENTICESHIP. 
 
 9 
 
 soon began to be noticed and encouraged, and to show fruit in occa- 
 sional little improvements to the work in which he was engaged. 
 
 After a residence in Darlington of about two years Thomas 
 Whitwell proceeded to Newcastle, to enter the well-know^n 
 engineering establishment of Eobei-t Stephenson & Co., of Forth 
 Banks. Each successive workshop and the drawing office were 
 diligently gone through, and a large and valuable exx^erience 
 gained m technical matters, m addition to an observant acquaint- 
 ance of men and manners which was afterwards to stand him in 
 good stead. 
 
 It was necessary for him to rise very early in order to be at 
 the works by six o'clock, and this, as may be expected, j)roved a 
 somewhat severe task. At that early hour a youth hi the fulness 
 of health and strength, and actively engaged during the day, can 
 hear few less welcome sounds than that which bids him rise, and 
 Thomas Whitwell was no exception to the rule. He left himself 
 no choice, however. By an ingenious arrangement of pulleys 
 and weights, in connection with an old clock and its alarum, 
 a bandbox filled with sundry articles descended rapidly and 
 suddenly upon the pillow in close proximity to his head. 
 In time, however, as he used to relate, " Human nature was 
 sufficiently cunning to devise a way of escape." Almost uncon- 
 sciously he moved his head, and quietly slept on. It was 
 evident something more efficient must be thought of, if he would 
 come off conqueror. A sHghtly different arrangement of the 
 pulleys, wdth the addition of a hook or two, answered the purpose. 
 
10 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 No bandbox came down, but the blankets ascended into the air, 
 and human nature was beaten on its own ground. Half sleepy 
 clutches occasionally averted the disaster for a few minutes, and 
 sleep returned, but only to be effectually and finally banished. It 
 was not the only instance in which self was conquered at the higher 
 bidding of duty. Indeed, Thomas Whitwell's sojourn in New- 
 castle marks an epoch in his life. His earliest labours were com- 
 menced there in connection with the Sunday Schook and the 
 Shoeblack Brigade, and the footsteps of his Master, and His com- 
 mand, to "Deny himself and follow Me," were diligently 
 obeyed. 
 
 This is well illustrated by an anecdote related publicly a 
 short time after his death by a gentleman who bad formerly been 
 his guest. Sitting together in Mr. Whitwell's house, cigars were 
 produced. The guest took one and said, " Do yon not smoke your- 
 self ?" " No," was the reply. " I did smoke when I was in New- 
 castle, but a mission to the poor was started, and I resolved to 
 devote my smoking money to it. It did not seem much week by 
 [ week as I had spent it, but quarterly, when I handed it in to the 
 treasurer, it amounted to a good round sum." No wonder that, 
 as the narrator said, his whole soul went out to such a man. 
 Barely across the threshold of youth, he had learnt the one great 
 lesson of life — self-abnegation for the love of his Master ; and we 
 need not wonder how it was that in after years he stood out so 
 prominently as a worker for the truth. Passive Christianity, at all 
 times an unfruitful, if not an impossible creed, was not for him, and, 
 
YOUTH AND APPRENTICESHIP. 
 
 11 
 
 alike in his religion as in his business, he was what an ideal 
 Christian ought to be, so far as the encumbrances of an earthly 
 body will permit. Thus early he decided to walk in the " narrow 
 way," and the path, once chosen, was never afterwards forsaken. 
 
THE METALLURGIST AND INVENTOR, 
 
 When Thomas Whitwell ended his ai^prenticeship he 
 rejoined his brother WiUiam, and the two, in partnership with 
 others, decided in 1859 to commence the business of iron-smelting, 
 and, at South Stockton, the present situation of the Thornaby 
 Ironworks was chosen. The iron trade was yet comparatively 
 in its infancy. A few furnaces had been erected on the banks 
 of the Tees after the discovery of ironstone already referred to, 
 but they were only of small capacity, and built on old plans, 
 the height being generally from 45 to 50 feet, with a diameter of 
 about 16 feet at the widest part. From these dimensions 
 Messrs. W. Whitwell & Co. departed, building their furnaces higher 
 and larger, and the change was naturally the subject of a great 
 deal of . comment amongst Ironmasters. lU success, even failure 
 of the plan was predicted, but the alteration proved, on the 
 contrary, of economic value, and the plan adopted was 
 copied and, as the principles of metallurgy became more widely 
 known and better understood, improved upon. As an authority 
 on furnace lines and general structure Thomas Whitwell became 
 widely known, and this, in connection with his researches into 
 the subject of Heated Blast, has rendered his name deservedly 
 renowned in many parts of the world. The latter subject soon 
 engaged his attention, and the designs of the earlier workers in 
 
THE METALLURGIST AND IXVEXTOE. 13 
 
 the same field, Siemens and Cowx^er, were carefully studied, 
 and subjected to considerable improvement. He brought out and 
 patented the Heating Stove which bears his name, and which 
 met with marked success. In Belgium, France, Luxembourg, 
 Austria, GeiTuany, Ameiica, and in Japan, as well as in England, 
 the Whitwell Stove stands high in the estimation of Iron-smelters 
 for the excellent results obtainable by its use. 
 
 It is almost unnecessary to comment upon the large poi-tion 
 of time which Mi*. Whitwell devoted to the study of Hot 
 Blast. Only recently the system was revised and considerably 
 improved, and what modifications future years would have 
 brought about it is impossible to predict. Thomas Whit well's 
 mind was never inactive, and once engaged ux^on a subject did 
 not easily quit it till it was thoroughly investigated. The interest 
 which he took in metallurgical questions, and the wide experi- 
 ence he had gained were well e^-idenced by a paper read by him 
 a few weeks previous to his death before the Cleveland Insti- 
 tution of Engineers. It is an able exx)osition of the ^Dresent 
 condition of metallurgical knowledge relating to Blast Furnaces, 
 and has since been reprinted in a leading American Iron Trade 
 Journal, in addition to apx)earing in the jDubHshed proceedings of 
 the Institution. 
 
 In America he was one of the best known of European 
 Ironmasters, and was held in great esteem both for his personal 
 and for his business quahties. In one industrial undei-taking in 
 that country — the Southern States Coal, Iron, and Land Comj^any, 
 
14 
 
 THOMAS WJIITWELL. 
 
 Limited — be was directly interested as one of its originators and 
 as Chairman of the Board of Directors. A good deal of his time 
 was devoted to its development. He twice visited the property 
 pm-chased, thoroughly proved the richness of its mineral 
 resources, and at the same time carefully studied the trade con- 
 ditions of the country, and compared them with those of England. 
 The result was a firm conviction that at some not far distant date 
 the Southern States of America, owing to their natural advantages 
 in mineral wealth and facility of intercommunication, are destined 
 to become the chief centre of the iron and steel industry of the 
 world. This was a fertile theme of conversation with Mr. 
 Whitwell, and the knowledge be bad stored up during bis 
 travels often furnished apt illustrations in conversation even on 
 ordinary topics. How far the belief he entertained will be justi- 
 fied it is impossible to predict, as the future alone can decide the 
 question. Thoughtful observers, however, look confidently 
 forward to its probable fulfihuent as the development of America 
 proceeds year by year. 
 
 The works erected at Thornaby engaged, of course, Mr. 
 Whitwell' s chief attention. The improvement of the quality of 
 iron produced was a point to which he and his brother devoted 
 much investigation, and theh^ labours have been successful. 
 The necessary machinery for manufactured iron, together with 
 the accessory puddling furnaces and other plant, was laid down 
 in the year 1865 on a plan providing for future extension. A 
 few years ago another rolling mill was added, and the three blast 
 
METALLURGIST AND IXVEXTOR. 
 
 15 
 
 furnaces originally erected having become old, they were replaced 
 by three new stacks of the most unproved construction, and with 
 the latest appliances. 
 
 Although Mr. Whitwell was not accustomed to consider 
 himself as one of the pioneers of the iron trade, he was 
 and is recognised as such. This is not the place to go into 
 technical details, for the value of his researches and inventions 
 can only be appreciated by those i)ossessed of a certain amount of 
 technical knowledge, but it is very great, and will, as years roll on, 
 become increasingly appreciated. In any future history of metal- 
 lurgy his name must occupy a iDrominent position, and his labours 
 rank high in the scale of ability and usefulness. 
 
 Mr. Whit well' s inventive genius was not, however, confined 
 to one field. He patented only a short time ago a continuous 
 Brick-bui-ning Kiln, in which the bricks are burnt on moveable cars 
 in a heated chamber, thus effecting a great saving in the expense 
 of handling. He also brought out a patent fire-gi-ate, to which he 
 gave the name of the Save-all- Waste. The time, money, and 
 minute attention he bestowed upon the laerfection of this was very 
 considerable. Armed with a small chemical apparatus, producing 
 a slender column of vapom*, he would carefully test all the currents 
 of air in a room furnished with his grate. The direction of the 
 wind, the density of the atmosphere, and the pounds of coal burnt 
 per hour, together with the quality of ak proceeding from the 
 warming apertures of the grate, with every conceivable detail, 
 came in for their legitimate share of his attention, and whenever 
 
16 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 explanation was desired by adopters it was patiently and fully given. 
 To invalids desiring an equable temperature in all parts of the 
 room the Save-all- Waste is especially a boon. 
 
 Mr. Whitwell's other dii'ect business engagements were less 
 important than those akeady commented upon. He occupied a seat 
 on the Board of Directors of the Midland Steam Boiler Inspection 
 Association, and he was also the President of the Cleveland Insti- 
 tution of Engineers for 1877-8. The latter Society was indeed largely 
 indebted to him in its foundation and earlier history. In connec- 
 tion with the originator, Mr. Jeremiah Head, of Middlesbrough, and 
 with Mr. Thomas Wrightson, of Stockton, he laboured arduously 
 for its success, and the inaugural meeting was held at his lodgings 
 in the autumn of the year 1865. There were not more than a 
 dozen gentlemen i^resent, and the first list of members only 
 numbered 28. From this the Institution has grown till over 460 
 names can be counted upon its muster roll, and the papers 
 read have since the first three years of its existence been pub- 
 Hshed after each successive meeting. Previously they were only 
 occasionally printed in the newspapers, and the commimications 
 read were not even always original. A few years ago, however, the 
 constitution was remodelled — a more ambitious field was entered, 
 and the results have peifectlj^ justified the step. 
 
THE CITIZEN, 
 
 Although the business side of Thomas Whitwell's hfe pos- 
 sesses features of great interest, it is as a citizen, both publicly 
 and i^rivately, that his loss has been most severely felt. In the 
 former he was chiefly esteemed for his works ; in the latter, not 
 only for his works, but for his rare personal quahties, which in- 
 vested with a charm everything he undertook, and won for him 
 the affection of all with whom he was associated. To attempt to 
 trace metaphysically the source of so enviable a power would be 
 simply to court failure. The fact suffices that everybody who 
 was privileged to know him intimately could not but admire and 
 love him. The robust common sense, the geniahty of mind, the 
 cultivated intellect, the frank courtesy, the kind and generous dis- 
 position were pervaded with an inexpressible something which was 
 felt rather than observed, and gained strength as the acquaintance 
 lengthened. In whatever pursuit he was engaged, Thomas 
 Whit well was always the same. He did not wear one face on 
 Sundays and another on week days. He was too honest for that. 
 He had sufficient breadth of intellect and keenness of penetration 
 to know that religion must not, if it be a trae thing, be totally 
 separate and distinct from eveiy-day hfe. His actions showed his 
 conviction that it must be an integral pai-t of it, and be bound n-p 
 
18 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 with it till the heart can apply to every detail of daily life 
 Milton's beautiful prayer : — 
 
 " lastruct me, for Thou knowest. What in me is dark 
 
 Illumine, what is low raise and support. 
 
 That to the height of this great argument 
 
 I may assert Eternal Providence 
 
 And justify the ways of God to men." 
 This simple, genuine Christianity was remarkably prominent 
 in his intercourse with young men, and was of valuable assist- 
 ance in establishing the Young Men's Christian Association, 
 of which more will be said hereafter. The following remi- 
 niscence, furnished by a correspondent, expresses so [perfectly 
 his manner that I introduce it here at length instead of in 
 its proper j)lace : — " It was once my good fortune to spend 
 a day under Mr. Whitwell's roof at Stockton. Although he 
 was my senior by many years, and I was almost a stranger to him, 
 he greeted me as a brother, and welcomed me as a bosom friend. 
 I shall long remember his genial face and the warm grip of that 
 
 strong hand as he exclaimed, ' Oh, here you are, L ! How glad 
 
 I am to see you ! Sit down !' I learned to love him as much in 
 one day as though we had been close friends for many years. When 
 I left his house he accompanied me to the railway station, and 
 after that we met many times at Sunderland. My love and 
 esteem for Mr. Whitwell grew with the growth of time. He was 
 always full of that Christian cheerfulness which woos and wins, 
 while his whole life was a practical exemplification of the truism, 
 ' He who would have friends must show himself friendly.' That 
 
THE CITIZEN. 
 
 19 
 
 sanctified asceticism which fails to distinguish between innocent 
 enjoyment and pleasure- worship, between lawful recreation and 
 an inordinate love of the world, found no jolace either in his theology 
 or in his life. I well remember asking his advice about a challenge 
 which om- cricket club had received to play a match with a neigh- 
 bouring club. Many a ' good ' man would have met me with a 
 shake of the head, and perhaps also with a stale and wearisome 
 homily on ' Come ye out from amongst them, and be ye separate.' 
 Not so Thomas Whitwell. He read the challenge, smiled, and said 
 in his hearty way, ' That's the style; of course you'll play them,' 
 and play them we did. He knew we were young men, with young 
 men's feelings, and he was too wise to damp our zeal for our 
 association and club by depriving us of an afternoon's healthy and 
 manlj' recreation. He was sanctified, but not sanctimonious; 
 holy, but not ascetic ; devout, but not monkish." 
 
 This description, it must be remembered, was from a 
 young man, and in it will be found an expression of the pecuhar 
 power possessed by Mr. Whitwell. How few are the men 
 that could invest rehgion with such a charm for youth ! How 
 few the efforts that pass beyond words to show that it is a thing 
 of life, of light, of beauty — nay, of true nobihty ! Yet this was 
 what pervaded the whole of Mr. Whitwell's life and the whole 
 of his actions, for in him life in the world, hfe for the world, and 
 life for heaven were not different, but one and the same thing. 
 Herein lay the secret of his power, the som"ce whence it was 
 drawn; but the springs were hidden deep down in his life, 
 
20 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 the life of watchfulness and prayer known only to himself and 
 his God. We know only — if it may so be expressed — the outward 
 form which his religion took ; — reUance upon himself through a 
 higher Power, and a constant looking to his Master for guidance 
 in every action and in every detail of his life. The simplicity 
 and the absence of all self-consciousness had probably much 
 to do both with his power in action and with his influence 
 over others. No thought of the part he was playing, or the effect 
 liis work was producing, ever entered Thomas Whitwell's mind. 
 Extracts from letters read at the Memonal Meetings — an account 
 of which will be found in the Appendix — show that he sought to 
 bring everything to the light of the Gospel, and to live up to the 
 high standard there laid down. When Thomas Wliitwell spoke 
 of prayer it was in its high and true meaning. It was com- 
 munion with a Friend, a Guide, and a Counsellor who knew 
 humanity, and recognised better than humanity itself the 
 trials to be contended with, the difficulties to be surmounted, 
 and the bitterness of the struggle. His religion was, in fact, 
 neither that of the Society of Friends, nor of the Established 
 Chm'ch, nor of the Wesleyan Methodists, but the universal spirit 
 of Christ's Gospel, which applies equally to all, and which all 
 may equally possess. He had no narrow spirit of dogmatism ; 
 he recognised the universality of God's message, and he yearned 
 to make it universal. Thus, by men of all creeds, by men of no 
 creed, and by men vainly searching for a creed, he was alike 
 beloved and respected, for they beheld in him something which 
 
THE CITIZEX. 
 
 21 
 
 constrained them to acknowledge that rehgion does not consist in 
 word onl}', but in life. 
 
 Had Thomas Whitwell not iDossessed the power of making 
 rehgion a thing of life and action his labours in connection with 
 the Yoimg Men's Christian Association would not have been at- 
 tended with such marked success. The idea of estabhshing in 
 Stockton a place of the kind originated primarily in 1861 with 
 Mr. Eichard Appleton. He was then in his seventy-foui-th year, 
 and consequently too far advanced to take any active part in 
 its foiTnation. He impressed, however, the idea strongly upon 
 the mind of a yoimg naval engineer then visiting at his house on 
 leave of absence, and this gentleman met Mr Whitwell — to whom 
 he was a perfect stranger — in a railway carriage next day. 
 He observed that he distributed tracts along the line, and 
 entered into conversation with him, thereby forming a friendship 
 which was destined to continue through hfe. The need of a 
 Young Men's Christian Association in Stockton was discussed, 
 and finally the task of organizing one was committed into 
 Mr. "SVhitweU's hands. He did not hesitate about commencing 
 the work, nor did he delay taking steins to accomphsh it. But 
 he shall tell the story in his o^vn words: — "A few pious 
 young men of all the denominations in the town were called 
 together (in accordance with the suggestions of the London 
 Committee), who then and there resolved themselves into a 
 Young Men's Christian Association, elected a small committee of 
 eight, fixed on the rules of membership, and having decided that 
 
22 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 the new effort should not be for mutual improvement merely, but 
 a society for the improvement of the spiritual condition of young 
 men, left the further arrangement of it to the committee." 
 
 " Keeping quiet as far as outward demonstration went ; 
 working by the agency of the personal efforts of the members in 
 the sphere of their daily calhng, the Bible Class, and the Devo- 
 tional Meeting, the young society gradually became consolidated 
 and settled on a firm basis ; and at the end of twelve months, hav- 
 ing had but two lectures in this its first year, took its first step 
 towards openly avowing its real character by holding the annual 
 meeting." 
 
 The annual meeting, at which a tea was provided by lady 
 friends, and partaken of by invitation by about 100 young men, 
 was a success, and has been adhered to in each successive year. 
 What Mr. Whitwell termed " a half-way house" between the out- 
 side world and the actual members was estabhshed in the ad- 
 mittance of associates, who were entitled to the same privileges as 
 members, with the exception that they were not allowed to vote 
 or sei^^e on the committee. 
 
 The Association was thus fairly formed, and from that time 
 till now meetings have been regularly held two or three times 
 weekly — first in the Masonic Hall, next in rooms since destroyed, 
 afterwards in Silver-street and High-street, and finally in the pre- 
 sent handsome building. 
 
 With what pleasure did Mr Whitwell behold his wishes 
 nearing their realisation, as the latter stixicture progressed, till 
 
THE CITIZEN. 
 
 23 
 
 finally, on the 7th December, 1877, it was opened and occupied, to 
 the great joy of his heart. As a comfortable home, as a place of 
 recreation, and as a cradle and protector for the Christian life of 
 young men, there are few towns or cities that can boast of so suit- 
 able a place. Sxjacious and attractive, well provided with journals, 
 furnished with a Hbraiy, and i^ossessing, as stejpping stones, an ex- 
 cellent gj^mnasium, a cricket club, a bicycle club, and a swim- 
 ming club, it offers to young men no ordinary attractions, and illus- 
 trates fully the behef which formed the basis of Thomas Whit- 
 well's life. 
 
 It is hardly possible to estimate the zeal and energy he 
 devoted to the Young Men's Christian Association. His labours 
 on its behalf were incessant, and have been proportionately 
 rewarded. At least thirty associations in towns of the North of 
 England were either assisted in their formation or stimulated and 
 strengthened in their efforts by his counsel and help. The 
 Stockton Association, in the work it has already accomplished, 
 will be an enduring monument to its founder. 
 
 As its representative, and as district delegate, Mr. Whit- 
 well became known and loved in many countries. At the 
 recent Conference at Geneva, at which he had arranged to 
 be present, many hearts were overwhelmed at the blow which 
 had fallen so suddenly and so heavily upon them. Some had 
 crossed the Atlantic in the full ho]3e and expectation that they 
 would once more look upon his face and once more hear his voice. 
 It was not, therefore, to be wondered at that the first proceeding 
 
24 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 was to render a tribute to his memory iu the passing of a resolu- 
 tion expressive of heartfelt sorrow and sympathy for those who 
 had thus been so suddenly bereaved. 
 
 Like every thoughtful man, Thomas Whitwell was deeply 
 impressed with the misery caused by drunkenness. He himself 
 loved temperance for its own sake, and sought to bring others 
 to his views, not only by words, but by always acting tempe- 
 rately. On the Saturday previous to his death he took the chah 
 at a large pubhc meeting held in the Temperance Hall, Dovecot- 
 street, Stockton, under the auspices of the Sons of Temx^erance, 
 and there drew attention to a notable feature of the diink 
 traffic. "When I am in London," he said, "it always seems 
 to me as if there were no teetotallers in the place, the de- 
 gradation is so rampant, the counter attraction so slight." In 
 the latter, as provided by cofiee taverns, he took a great interest, 
 and many valuable suggestions, founded upon experience gained 
 in other towns, were given by him to the promoters of the com- 
 pany formed in Stockton for their estabhshment. He did not, 
 however, think that moral suasion alone was sufficient to make 
 men temperate, but held that the help of Christianity was indis- 
 IDcnsable, " a man being so much more powerful with the 
 Almighty by his side." 
 
 The keystone of all Mr "Whitwell's labours may be found in 
 the fact that he did everything as not for himself alone. He re- 
 cognised the necessities of man's life on earth, he appreciated its 
 beauties and its enjoyments, he entered into them heartily and 
 
THE CITIZEN, 
 
 25 
 
 vigorously, and so bound them up with his religion that one 
 helped and sustained the other. 
 
 The energy which characterised Thomas Whitwell in the pur- 
 suit of a spiritually higher life was, as already remarked, equally 
 present in all secular matters which he undertook, and the cause 
 need not be sought far. He looked upon them as an integral 
 part of man's existence, equally under the Creator's guidance, 
 and equally under His judgment. He looked upon the world, 
 upon the attendant duties and pleasm-es of life in the world, 
 as but stepping stones to heaven, and he used them as such. 
 It is the highest embodiment of religion which is permitted 
 to man. "One of the strongest proofs of a sound religion," 
 says a writer, "is to be thankful for any heights which it is 
 possible to scale, but to be much more thankful for the continu- 
 ous valley in which Human Duty is best discharged."" Thomas 
 Whitwell showed his thankfulness by his interested activity. 
 
 He was Captain of the Fire Brigade in Stockton, and worked 
 as energetically for it as for any other of his numerous undertak- 
 ings. He was, in fact, its founder and organiser. When first re- 
 quested some years ago to undertake the task by the jpresent 
 Mayor of Stockion (Joseph Richardson) , he pleaded to be excused 
 on account of his already numerous engagements. Yielding 
 somewhat to pressure, he said he would give his answer in two 
 days, and having thought the matter over, he declared himself at 
 the end of that time ready to do what was wanted. Unflagging 
 was the interest he took in getting volunteers enrolled, and in 
 
26 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 having a sufficient equipment for properly extinguishing fires. 
 When at home he rarely failed to subscribe himself on the 
 attendance sheet as present, and when absent in London 
 or in some European or American city he would often 
 pass a night on duty there for the sake of experience, and 
 afterwards relate what he had seen to his staff. At a 
 fire he was always first, regardless of the danger, and, not 
 content mth directing alone, he would give his men aid when- 
 ever and wherever needed. Owing to his indefatigable exertions 
 Stockton can boast of a brigade equal to that possessed by any 
 other town of similar size, and excellent in its appointments in 
 every waj^ About two years ago, on the occm-rence of a some- 
 what severe fire at South Stockton, Mr Whitwell conceived the 
 idea of having an efficient and well-equipped brigade there also, 
 and caused the matter to be brought before the Local Board of 
 Health of that xjlace. In due time his plan was approved ; and he 
 was entrusted with the purchase of the necessary engines and appli- 
 ances. Only the week before his death he was busy arranging 
 the preliminaries for a joint demonstration of the Stockton and 
 South Stocktou Brigades, but before the appointed day the dark 
 cloud of death had extinguished the expectations entertained 
 amidst the gloom of a universal mourning. 
 
 In the municipal affaks of North Stockton Thomas Whit- 
 well took no active interest. In South Stockton he had a seat 
 upon the Local Board of Health, where his practical experience 
 was of great value. Sanitary matters especially were the objects 
 
THE CITIZEX. 
 
 27 
 
 of his attention, and proper di'ainage and ventilation were points 
 he continually urged as necessities to health. In the Mechanics' 
 Institute of the same town he naturally took an active part. He 
 was one of the promoters, and at the time of his death held the 
 posts of Trustee and Honorary Treasurer. Often has he dehvered 
 addresses and lectures, and promoted other enterprises in aid of 
 the funds. If he could arrange anything new and instructive he 
 was the better pleased, and generally found the results to justify 
 any novel course of action he decided to pursue. 
 
 From his boyhood Thomas Whitwell was a lover of art, 
 literature, and general science. He was also a great traveller, 
 and, ever ready with his pencil, generaUj^ brought back from his 
 tours not only his memory but his sketch book richly stored. 
 Many of his drawings display a minute obsei'vation, combined with 
 a freedom and power in execution, artistic in the highest degree. 
 In connection with the Alpine Club he often, in former years, 
 chmbed the snowy x^eaks of Switzerland, meeting occasionally 
 with some hazardous adventure, and as a member of the Royal 
 Canoe Club he was famihar with the Rhine, Moselle, and many of 
 their tributaries. What he saw and what he heard has been fre- 
 quently described in his lectures, when, seated in his canoe, he 
 would dehght the audience with songs which doubtless had in 
 past years fallen strangely on the wandering ears of some Ger- 
 man peasant, to whom the "Engliinder," as he ghdedpast, was a 
 rare and curious sight, to be talked about beneath the trees when 
 his day's work was done, and long remembered afterwards. 
 
28 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 His style of lectming was, like almost everything he under- 
 took, marked and energetic. He handled his subject Hke a 
 master, and knew it in all its bearings and under all its aspects, 
 though he could not claim to be an orator. The freshness and 
 vigour of his style and the illustrations he used, however, fully 
 compensated for this. He made himself felt, and left marks 
 where a smoothly- delivered oration would have glided in at one 
 ear and out at the other. Only one other matter needs mention - 
 ing before this chapter is closed, viz. : — Mr. Whitwell's experiences 
 as a Commissioner for the distribution of the Friends' War 
 Victims' Fund during the Franco-German War. An interesting 
 sketch of these will be found amongst the Personal Keminisconces 
 which follow. He was sx)ecially fitted for the work, both by 
 temperament and linguistic acquirements, and worked with 
 untiring energy, winning the admiration and love of all his 
 co-workers. The reminiscence mentioned precludes the necessity 
 of further comment here. It may be said, however, that 
 Mr. Whit well was pressed to undertake a similar office during 
 the Russo-Turkish War, but had to decline through pressure of 
 business engagements, as he had just returned from America at 
 the time the request was made to him. 
 
 It seems strange to the unthinking that a life eminent in useful- 
 ness and a powerful influence for good, qualities so much needed 
 at all times, was destined to close with such awful suddenness. On 
 the 5th of August, a warm and sunny autumn day, Thomas 
 
THE CITIZEN. 
 
 29 
 
 "VVhit-well left his home for the works. Immediately upon his 
 arrival there he proceeded, in comiDany with the foreman of 
 the fitters' department, John Thompson, to inspect in the rolling 
 mills a patent heating furnace which was working iiTegularly. 
 
 Mr. Whitwell descended into the ashpit by a ladder, 
 followed by John Thompson, there being a leakage of water from 
 the tymp which deadened the fii'e, and prevented the generation 
 of gas. No one was in attendance, but a millwright who passed 
 over the grating soon after the two men had descended observed 
 them both stooping down, and seemingly drawing out one of the 
 grate bars. Suddenly a volume of steam rushed up to the roof, 
 through the grating and the opening. Several workmen ran 
 towards the furnace. Immediately afterwards poor Thomx)Son 
 came up the ladder fearfully scalded and burnt, followed in a 
 short time by Mr. WhitweU. Both fell down the moment they 
 reached the outside air, and were immediately conveyed to their 
 homes. They had suffered terribly, and must have been in 
 agonizing pain. For some hours it was hoped Mr. Whitwell, 
 aided by a vigorous constitution, might at length recover, 
 notwithstanding the dreadful injuries he had received; but five 
 or six houi's after the accident examination revealed internal 
 injuries through inhaled gas or steam, and the medical men 
 announced to his sorrowing relatives that there was no hope. 
 He was never fully conscious after his arrival at home, and soon 
 changed visibly for the worse, passing peacefully away a few 
 minutes after eleven o'clock the same night. 
 
30 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 How the accident really occurred will never be known. 
 The accoTints differ, as did the verdicts of the juries at the courts 
 of enquiry. Whether the explosion was caused wholly by steam 
 generated by the sudden fall of a mass of fire into the water at 
 the bottom of the ashpit, as is contested by Mr. Jeremiah Head 
 in a clear and demonstrative article in the Eiujineer newspaper, 
 or whether there was also an escape of gas through the bottom of 
 the furnace, the result was the same — a blinding volume of steam 
 at a heat of 212 degrees, which filled every part of the pit, and 
 ascended upwards through the grating. Yet in this fearful plight, 
 in an agony so terrible that every feeling might have been con- 
 sidered as dominated by the instinct of escape, Thomas Whit- 
 well's nature withstood the shock. " You go first," he said to 
 Thompson. Simple words ; but what true heroism of spirit 
 do they indicate ! Groping for the ladder in that cloud of death, 
 he was content to suffer that another might escape. That cry to 
 God, uttered as he fell, " Lord, have mercy upon me !" was surely 
 answered, bodily and spiritually, and what glimpses of the 
 unseen world he had during the few hours of bodily pain which 
 yet remained to him on earth we cannot tell. All we know is 
 that in that hushed chamber, where the sound of the wing of the 
 Angel of Death was already heard, only two sentences passed the 
 sufferer's lips clearly and distinctly. "Where am I standing?" 
 he asked, and in the same breath came the answer, answer filled to 
 him with wondrous glory and inexpressible comfort, with the pledge 
 and assurance of eternal rest and joy, " I am standing before God !" 
 
THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 No. 1. 
 
 The deplorable accident at the Thomaby Iron Works, South 
 Stockton, has removed from our midst not only a respected and 
 useful citizen and a man of busiuess, but one whose loss will be 
 felt over a wide area as a courteous Christian gentleman — one who 
 was ever considerate of the feelings and comfort of others more 
 than his own, as was touchingly and characteristically evinced 
 in the last sad act of his life by his generously giving way to poor 
 Thompson to effect his escape out of the fatal stokehole before 
 himself, when every moment was a question of life or death. I 
 have been intimate with Mr. Whit well for many years, and have 
 enjoyed his society in a variety of ways. It was my lot to see a 
 side of his character seen by few others, if any ; — I refer to the 
 work in which he, with myself and others, was engaged in distri- 
 buting in France during and after the war what was known as 
 the War Victims' Fund. Perhaps a few of my recollections will 
 prove of interest. Mr. Whitwell's ready commard both of the 
 German and French languages was of eminent service during the 
 course of this work ; and his easy, affable manner, combined with 
 his manly bearing, made him equally at home in the presence of 
 the Governor- General of the conquered provinces as with the 
 
32 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL, 
 
 peasant or common soldier. A Sunday afternoon was very agree- 
 ably spent with the Governor (Count Bismarck-Bohlen), at his 
 invitation, in his head-quarters at Strasbourg after the bombard- 
 ment, the conversation being chiefly upon the principles, of the 
 Society of Friends in respect to war, &c. We afterwards walked 
 with the Governor to attend Divine service in the city, and it was 
 curious to note how even my friend Whitwell (who stood over 
 six feet) looked small beside the Count's commanding figure, in 
 his uniform of a Lieutenant -General and spiked helmet. The 
 recommendations and letters of protection which resulted from 
 this friendly visit to the Count were indispensable both to our- 
 selves and our friends who succeeded us, not only in Alsace and 
 Lorraine, but in other parts of France also. 
 
 A singular result from the absence of any special documput 
 of "Safe Conduct" in entering a country in a state of war 
 occurred to my friend at the commencement of his journey into 
 France. I was not present with him, but heard the curious stovy 
 from his lips soon afterwards. In passing through the front^'pr 
 fortress of Longwy, then commanded by an irascible Corsicor> 
 Colonel, my friend and his companion omitted to pay theiV 
 respects or obtain the permission of the Commandant. Conse- 
 quently a little beyond the town they were arrested by a party of 
 Franc-Tireurs, who would not, or could not, read their passport*, 
 and escorted them with fixed bayonets back to Longwy Cast^\ 
 There the Commandant, who was infuriated to madness by tlsn 
 news just received of the surrender of Metz, which he attributed 
 
PERSONAL EEMIXISCENCES. 
 
 33 
 
 to Bazaine's treacheiy, received the two Englishmen -with, an 
 angry glare and loud curses. In vain they produced their pass- 
 ports, and attempted to explain their mission — the endorsement 
 of the German Ambassador was a "red rag" to this mad bull. 
 He snatched the documents out of their hands, and accused them 
 of being " German spies." With admirable coolness and i^resence 
 of mmd Whitwell (who was a member of the Masonic Craft) at 
 length succeeded in catching his eye, and gave him the Masonic 
 sign — merely an "arrow drawn at a venture." The Colonel stai'ed 
 hard. The sign was repeated, and, to Whitwell's joy, taken and 
 returned ! AM was now changed — a dead calm succeeded the 
 furious storm. They were received with courtesj^ into his i^rivate 
 apartments ; mutual explanations took place ; and they were sent 
 on their way rejoicing, joining another gentleman and myself in 
 Metz a few days after. 
 
 Many stiiking instances came afterwards under my own 
 observation of his quiet, imperturbable courage under difficulties 
 and danger, which space will not admit of mentioning here. His 
 athletic experiences as a member of the Alpine Club and a 
 canoeist stood him in good stead during our long, hard ride 
 through a countr}^ in a state of war in an intensely cold winter. 
 It was necessary, however, that somebody should face the hard- 
 ships and privations of such a campaign, as friends at home had 
 decided upon a mode of relief which conferred signal and lasting 
 benefits on the agricultural x)opulation of France — viz., the distri- 
 
34 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 bution of seed corn, cattle, roots, &c., over an extensive tract of 
 country that had been devastated by war. 
 
 In pursuance of this work Mr. Whitwell and I traversed the 
 country on horseback, as " avant-coureurs " (pioneers) for those 
 who followed, to superintend the work of distribution — no unim- 
 portant duty, when the gifts thus gratuitously distributed were 
 estimated at over ^100,000 sterling in value. His talent for 
 organization and iDOwer of infusing zeal and si)irit into others 
 enabled us to form local committees and willing workers in many 
 centres of distress, so that, through the indefatigable labours of 
 Mr. Long and other friends who followed us, the season was 
 saved, the land seeded, and comparative famine averted. 
 
 As the work grew upon us and time pressed, Whitwell, \dth. 
 characteristic courage, suggested that we two, who had been 
 hitherto inseparable, should part, and divide the comitry between 
 us. He was not insensible to the danger of riding alone, often in 
 darkness, through a strange countrj^ infested, as we were told, 
 by men reduced to dangerous desi^eration, but his anxiety to 
 accomphsh the work in hand ere it became too late overcame all 
 other considerations. 
 
 The suggestion, endorsed hx such an example, was not to 
 be gainsaid, and with a heavj^ heart, in the neighbourhood of 
 Tours, I saw my friend, who had been a tower of strength to me, 
 dex^art on his northern round over the battle-field of Chateaudun, 
 &c., while I turned my horse's head southward, following the 
 track of the armies of Yonder Tann and Prince Frederick Charles. 
 
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 
 35 
 
 Ultimately, through God's blessing and protection, we were 
 favoured to meet in safety at St. Calais, having had the satisfac- 
 tion of furnishing the needed information as to the distress to 
 friends at home, and initiating the work of distribution over the 
 whole of the greatest corn-growing district of France, known as 
 La Beauce. 
 
 To this day the memory of my departed friend is cherished 
 by our correspondents there, and the tidings of his terribly sudden 
 death will be received with pain in many a French chateau. 
 
 Let me add that very recently the Executive Committee of 
 the Society of Friends in London required the services of a friend 
 of experience and judgment to proceed to Bulgaria, where serious 
 difficulties had arisen in connection with the work of their Com- 
 missioner labouring to mitigate the distress subsequent upon the 
 Bulgarian Massacres. All looked upon Thomas 'WTiitwell as 
 the man pre-eminently adapted for this delicate and difficult 
 service, and I was requested to urge it upon him on his return 
 from America. My friend's plea, however, was irresistible, viz. : 
 — That the state of his own affairs, after three months' absence in 
 America, rendered it impossible for him to devote a further three 
 months to the philanthropic mission to Turkey. Otherwise he 
 would have rejoiced to join our quondum comrade, James Long, 
 there. With much reluctance, therefore, another substitute had 
 to be found to i^roceed at once, in the winter of 1876-'77, to the 
 scene of operations at the foot of the Balkan Mountains. 
 
 How widelj^ has the force of sincerity, simphcity, and good- 
 
36 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 ness of heart made itself felt in the example of this man, taken 
 from this life to a higher at the comparatively early age of 
 40 years ! 
 
 I should be wanting in faithfulness to the memory of my 
 beloved friend did I not acknowledge what I know well to be the 
 truth — that the secret of his influence, of his beneficence, and the 
 quiet force of his character was the unswerving allegiance of his 
 heart to his God — the faith and hope of a Christian. His piety 
 was not of a showy order, neither was it sour and demonstrative, 
 but deep, vital, and quiet, infusing a cheerful, happy tone over 
 his own life and over those who surrounded him. How could 
 such a life do other than diffuse " sweetness and light " around it. 
 May God raise up from among the young men, for whose good 
 Thomas Whit well may be truly said to have devoted his life, 
 some, at least, who have imbibed his sxmit, and will strive to 
 follow him as he followed Christ. 
 
 W. J. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 I WAS present when Thomas Whit well came as a deputation from 
 Stockton to the London Conference in 1862, and remember how 
 eager and earnest he was as an enquirer into the working of the 
 Y.M.C.A. He took away with him, I beheve, some new ideas, and 
 he was not slow to carry out what he had learned. He came 
 amongst us prepared to follow, but it was soon a^oparent he was 
 
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 
 37 
 
 qualified to lead, and to enter upon a more comxDrehensive work 
 than we, in the North of England at least, had previously contem- 
 plated. 
 
 He was not content with the Y.M.C.A. as an mstitution for 
 large towns. He pressed upon us its utihty in small towns and 
 villages, and constantly urged the importance of organisation. In 
 this he was a moving spuit. He collected statistics of member- 
 ship, classified the advantages and disadvantages of the work in 
 each locahty, and scrutinised the returns, so as to make us feel 
 our weak points in a remarkable mamier. 
 
 He left the fi-amework of an enterprise which only requires 
 the management of some one of similar zeal and ability to make 
 it a source of great blessing to the young men of the Noi-th of 
 England. 
 
 Need I state how well qualified Thomas Whitwell was 
 naturally for this work ? Only those who knew him intimately 
 could fully ai)preciate the beauty of his character, and only now 
 and then did he reveal the depths of emotion which moved him in 
 his work. 
 
 That all his efforts proceeded from an earnest mind and 
 deep feeUng I know from a very happy and intimate acquauit- 
 ance with him both in private and public life, and every friend 
 and associate in Christian work can refer to him as one of the 
 best results of the work of the Young Men's Christian Association. 
 
 I was strolling along the sea beach one morning during the 
 Brighton Meetings, when my attention was di'awn to a fisherman's 
 
38 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 breakfast, which had been followed by a rehgious meeting. On 
 going in I found Mr. Whitwell near the door. He had been s]Deak- 
 iug, and many of the men were evidently much impressed by the 
 truths they had heard. Kindly words were said by way of good- 
 bye, and I afterwards learnt that, though at Brighton for the 
 special purpose of attending the consecration meetings, Mr. Whit- 
 well was engaged in evangelistic work as well. 
 
 I retain, also, a pleasant recollection of one of his visits to 
 Sunderland three years ago, when I had the privilege of his com- 
 pany for the night. Next morning the first voice heard was his, 
 singing one of the sweet hymns then in common use. 
 
 I remember his being asked to read a paper on the object of 
 the Y.M.C.A., and a meeting was held for the purpose in one of the 
 rooms connected with the Friends' Meeting House. He pointed 
 out the advantage of enlisting our young men in Christian work, 
 and showed how, without at all interfering with the regular 
 Church organisations, they might be beneficially employed in 
 evangelistic work, and be trained for more extensive usefulness in 
 after days. 
 
 Many now remember with pleasure and profit the earnest- 
 ness with which he urged a full surrender of all to the Master's 
 service as the right thing for this hfe and the next. X. 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 At the opening of the Winter Session of the Cleveland Institution 
 of Engineers, Mr. John Gjers, the new President, alluding to 
 the death of Mr. Whitwell, said — 
 
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 
 39 
 
 In discovery, Thomas Whitwell's name will always be as- 
 sociated with the heating stove for blast, which he patented in 
 1865, as an improvement upon Siemens and Cowper's regenerative 
 biick stove. This is not the place to express any opinion as to 
 the comparative advantage or otherwise of Whitwell's stove, or 
 stoves in general — suffice it to say, that he succeeded in making 
 his stove successful at a time when Siemens and Cowper's stove 
 had not yet attained that point ; but we must all have greatly 
 admired the pluck and undaunted perseverance with which 
 Thomas Whitwell followed up his patent. Through good report 
 and through ill re^^ort he gave it for years his personal and 
 unceasing attention, and was rewarded for his persevering toil 
 by seeing his stove adopted in many places in this country, and 
 even more extensively in America and on the Continent. 
 
 Thomas Whitwell did not confine his attention to the blast- 
 furnace department, as in 1865 the firm of which he was the 
 practical managing partner erected a forge and bar mill, and we 
 aU know how Messrs. WhitweU and Co. have succeeded in 
 estabhshuig a rex^utation for their brand. 
 
 As an inventor Thomas Whitwell's name is not associated 
 solely with his " Hot Blast Stove." In 1873 he patented an im- 
 proved fire-grate, and we all know that the " Save-aU-waste" 
 grate has attained a certain reputation, thanks not only to its 
 undoubted merit, but also to his unceasing assiduity in bringing it 
 before the public. 
 
 Thomas 'VMiitwell also, in 1876, patented a continuous brick- 
 
40 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 burning kiln, of which the pubhc as yet knows httle, but which, 
 there is Httle doubt, had he been spared, he would have made 
 another success. 
 
 You are all aware what interest Thomas Whitwell took in 
 our Society of Cleveland Engineers. Jeremiah Head, Thomas 
 Wrightson, and he were the originators, and the first meeting 
 took place at his lodgings in the autumn of 1864, when some of us 
 now deploring his loss were present. 
 
 May his persevering, upright, and manly spirit ever inspire 
 the conductors of our Institution. 
 
 As a citizen and philanthropist Thomas Whitwell's life pos- 
 sesses many features of great interest, to which in my short 
 account I cannot attempt to do justice. His work in connection 
 with the Young Men's Christian Association will not easily be 
 forgotten by the young men of Stockton. He was the organizer 
 and ca,ptain of the Stockton Volunteer Fire Brigade, to which he 
 j<ave much careful and personal attention. The South Stockton 
 Mechanics' Institute will lose in him a powerful supporter. 
 
 He was a lover of all manly sport. In canoeing, swimming, 
 mountaineering he excelled, and in every pursuit, were it commer- 
 cial, scientific, charitable, or the pursuit of healthful pleasure, he 
 seemed to fulfil the command, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to 
 do, do it with thy might." 
 
 It seems hard that such a promising life should have been 
 cut off so early. The end came ; but I must not here enter into 
 details of the deplorable accident which led to his untimely death. 
 
PERSONAL REMINISCEXCES. 
 
 41 
 
 You all know the cii'cmnstances under wliich it happened. In 
 strong relief stands before us the burned and scalded figure of 
 Thomas WhitweU rising out of the fire-hole pit of that fatal 
 furnace, and, sinking down exhausted, exclaming his last utter- 
 ance, " Lord, have mercy upon me ! " 
 
 Such was the last of our late President, but I am wrong in 
 saying the last, for few men more than he had a steadfast faith 
 and behef in the endurance beyond the grave. Few men more 
 than he acted up to that high standard in this life which, he felt 
 persuaded, would have its reward in the life to come. He acted 
 up to his duty to the last, and his memory will live amongst his 
 friends, and amongst those who were brought in contact with him, 
 as an affectionate son and brother, as a true and constant friend, 
 as a just and kind master, as one able and dihgent in the business 
 he had adopted, as a counsellor and helper in all good work, and 
 as one thoroughly imbued with charity to all men. 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 A FRIEND who was present at a Meeting of the Stockton Young 
 Men's Christian Association sends us the following extract from 
 Mr. Whitwell's address, as indicating the earnest, symx^athetic, 
 and directly personal style in which he spake on all occasions : — 
 
 The question, therefore, now before us remaining to be dis- 
 cussed this afternoon is — What position does this Association take 
 in the town ? Are we, as members, doing all in our power to turn 
 our companions to the service of Christ ? or are we shirking this 
 
42 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 responsibility, and suffering them to draw us away from that first 
 love to Christ which at one time burned within our hearts ? 
 
 Ah, my brethren, on this, the anniversary day of Him who 
 gave Himself for us, I beseech you every one to examine your- 
 selves and see whether you are not guilty concerning your brother. 
 
 Has no yomig man been taken away from your side in the 
 house of business, over whom you felt, when he was no more, that 
 you had neglected your duty ? If such had been the case in the 
 past, I pray you to determine that your duty, neglected so long, 
 shall be neglected no more— that you will, in the strength of God, 
 press on to that better country, the end of our hope and desire, 
 and, by the help of God, strive to bring others with you to 
 Heaven. Oh, before it is too late — even now, while time is yours, 
 I pray you, my brother members in this Young Men's Christian 
 Association, no longer to grieve the Holy Spirit by shutting out His 
 sweet influences, that would, if obeyed, lead you to seek and save 
 those who are lost, but rather, for the love wherewith our Saviour 
 has blessed aU of us, strive, with the help of God, to lead others to 
 that Saviour who died for all. 
 
 Oh, if all of us were what Christ intended His disciples to be, 
 —lights in a dark and sin-covered world, not covered, but rather 
 shedding the light received from Him— how different would be the 
 position of our own Association in the town, where sin and vice 
 stride unchecked along our streets. 
 
 In conclusion, I must commit these remarks to your careful 
 and prayerful consideration ; and in seeking to put off the dead- 
 
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 
 43 
 
 ness and indifference which, alas ! have been the distinguishing 
 features in the characters of so many of us, may we be strong in 
 the strength that God will give to His poor and unfaithful chil- 
 dren who with repentant hearts seek to be renewed in the love 
 of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Should such be our resolve, it will be 
 a blessed thing for us, for the Association, and for the town in 
 general that we have met here this Good Friday afternoon. 
 
 No, 5. 
 
 The following is a continuation of the reminiscence of which 
 a part was given in the Biographical Sketch. The letter prmted 
 immediately afterwards was written by the same writer to his 
 brother, and has been kindly placed at the Editor's disposal, as 
 showing what hundreds of young men must have felt on heaiing 
 the news of the sudden death of their friend and counsellor : — 
 
 Thomas Whitwell possessed that indescribable something- 
 call it by what name you will — which causes one to love its 
 possessor whether one wih or no. Beneath that stalwart frame 
 there beat a heart that was noble and true, a heart in sympathy 
 with every young man with whom it came into contact. And 
 this was the secret of his influence. He lived so near to Christ 
 that he grew like Him, and partook in no common degree of his 
 beloved Master's all-winning spirit. But now he is gone— 
 " The beacon light is quenched in smoke, 
 
 The trumpet's silver sound is still, 
 
 The warder silent on the hill." 
 
44 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 Yes, silent ; silent, but not speechless, for " he, being dead, yet 
 speaketh." In many a j)opulous city, in many a busy town, in 
 many a quiet hamlet on both sides of the Atlantic there are hun- 
 dreds of young men who cherish his memory as sacred, and to 
 whom the name of Thomas Whitwell is an inspiration and a joy. 
 His mysterious and painful death has filled our hearts with un- 
 feigned sorrow. It was a sudden and awful stroke. But our faith 
 looks up from the dust, and beholds the sunbeam of Infinite Love 
 gilding the rod that smote her. 
 
 Again the prophet has gone up in a chariot of fire, and we 
 are left to cry with Elisha, " My father, my father, the chariot of 
 Israel, and the horsemen thereof!" We dare not ask, "Where 
 is the God of Whitwell?" for we know He is still in our midst ;but 
 let us reverently and fervently ask that a double portion of our 
 dear friend's spirit may be upon us. 
 
 " The sad intelligence contained in yours just to hand 
 deeply grieves me. In our dear friend has failed one of the 
 earth's excellent ones, and there wiU always be, for me, at least, 
 a sacred halo and fragrance about the name of Thomas Whitwell. 
 Who can understand the mind of the Lord ? Who can fathom the 
 secrets of Him who loveth to hide Himself ? It is probable that 
 Thomas Whitwell, hke Samson, may work greater wonders by his 
 sudden death than by his devoted life. When I read your letter I 
 was for the moment undone, and felt in my heart — Is Thomas Whit- 
 
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. 
 
 45 
 
 well dead ? — then let me die. He was one of those men who al- 
 most imperceptibly work their way into the deepest affections of 
 the heart, and you do not know how deep the roots have struck 
 till by some sudden blast Hke this the tree is uprooted. 
 
 " But he is not dead — he cannot die. True, his voice is 
 hushed for evermore, and never again will his manly face beam 
 with joy to greet us, or his kindly hand shake ours ; but in our 
 dearest affections he hves and speaks. May the Lord fill up the 
 ranks with men of like spirit ! " 
 
 It was the Editor's intention to write here a short summary em- 
 bodying the main characteristics of Mr. Whitwell's life, but he 
 feels that it is not needed. Such a life, as briefly sketched in the 
 Biography and afterwards amplified in the Personal Reminiscences, 
 is best left to tell its own story. It is overflowing with dee^) 
 meaning, which cannot fail to be caught and understood, aaid 
 which, though its source has been suddenly cut off, must hve in 
 men's minds for many years and in their actions for many 
 generations. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 THE ACCIDENT. 
 
 About noon on Monday, the 8th August, a painful rumour cir- 
 culated rapidly through the streets of Stockton that Mr. Thomas 
 Whitwell, one of the best kno^Ti and most beloved of its towns- 
 men, had been severely injured at the works of his firm in South 
 Stockton. The rumour proved unfortunately to be too true. It 
 appeared that immediately upon his arrival at the works Mr. 
 Whitwell, in company with the foreman of the fitters' depart- 
 ment, Mr. John Thompson, had proceeded to inspect a heating 
 furnace in the roUing mills, which for two or three days had been 
 working irregularly. The furnace, which was of pecuhar con- 
 struction, was named the Bicheroux Gas Producer, and had a 
 hearth sunk in the ground, access being given by a ladder. The 
 cause of the irregularity apparently proceeded from a leakage of 
 water from a cooling pipe through the brickwork into the furnace, 
 and to thoroughly investigate the matter Mr. WhitweU and Mr. 
 Thompson — having previously despatched the other men on 
 various errands— descended into the hearth alone. What fol- 
 lowed will never be fuUy and clearly known, inasmuch as those 
 who alone could elucidate the mj^stery are companions in death. 
 From after examination, however, one of the fire-bars of the 
 furnace was seen to be removed from its place, and whether this 
 
THE ACCIDEXT. 
 
 47 
 
 was done inteutionally, or whether it was the result of internal 
 pressure, one fact only looms clearly and sadly forth — viz., that 
 a Yolume of gas, possibly mingled with super-heated steam, 
 escaped through the bottom of the furnace, and instantaneously 
 converting into steam the w^ater which had collected in the 
 hearth, rendered esca^De impossible till the fatal work was done. 
 All the evidence obtainable will be found at length later. 
 
 Once removed home, every care was paid to the unfortunate 
 sufferers, and for six or seven hours it was hoped that, notwith- 
 standing the serious injuries Mr. Whitweil had received, his 
 vigorous frame and strong constitution would enable him once 
 more to regain health and strength. At the end of that time, 
 however, a medical examination with the stethoscope revealed 
 to his sorrowing relatives the fact that there was no hope, and 
 immediately afterwards the opinion was confirTiied by a change 
 from a semi-conscious to an unconscious state. A few hours later 
 Mr. Whitweil painlessly and peacefully breathed his last, fol- 
 lowed shortly afterwards by Mr. Thompson, his fellow in mis- 
 fortune. 
 
 The scattered groups of people outside Mr. Whitwell's 
 dwelling, and the eagerness with which news of the patient's 
 condition was awaited by all classes, showed in an unmistakeable 
 manner the esteem in which he was held, and the sad news of 
 his death spread a deep gloom over the whole town. Regret and 
 sorrow were heart-felt and universal for one who, endeared to all 
 who knew him, had thus been cut off in the prime of his manhood. 
 
THE coroner's COURT OF ENqUIRY. 
 
 An official enquiry into the cause of the accident was opened 
 by Mr. Coroner Settle on the afternoon of the day following 
 Mr. Whitwell's death. The jury was composed of the following 
 gentlemen: — Mr. Robert Dale, High Street (Foreman); Mr. 
 Thomas Vincent Carter, High Street ; Mr. Matthew Yaro 
 Pearson, The Square ; Mr. Owen Sanders, Dovecot Street ; Mr. 
 George Ridley Toogood, Bishop Street ; Mr. John Davison, 
 Springholme ; Mr. John Harrison ; Mr. James Rose, Bishoptou 
 Lane; Mr. James Clephan, Norton Road; Mr. John Scarth, 
 Dovecot Street ; Mr. John Jordan Fletcher, High Street ; Mr. 
 Robert Evers, Portrack Lane ; Mr. Wilson Brownless Headlam ; 
 and Mr. Robert Sedgwick, High Street. 
 
 Mr. Coroner Settle, in opening the Court, said he was sure 
 that eveiy gentleman who had been empannelled on the jury 
 individually shared with him the deepest regret at the sad and 
 melancholy occurrence which had brought them together upon this 
 occasion. They all felt most keenly the loss which they had sus- 
 tained, for Stockton had most surely been deprived of one of her 
 most estimable pubhc men. The late Mr. Thomas Whitwell was, 
 in every sense of the word, a perfect gentleman — ever ready to 
 extend the hand of kindness — ever ready to do that which gives 
 to all good and ennobling works their most glorious radiance. In 
 his many philanthropic and Christian pursuits he might safely 
 say that Mr. Whitwell was unsurpassed ; but were he (Mr. Settle) 
 
THE CORONERS COURT OF ENQUIRY. 
 
 49 
 
 to attempt to narrate the many noble causes in which Mr. Whitwell 
 played so indefatigable a part, he knew he should signally feel to 
 do him justice. They were one and all sensible of the sad loss 
 which had befallen the town, and they most deeply deplored it. 
 
 The only evidence taken was preliminary, and of a purely 
 formal character. Mr. Wilham Whitwell, J. P., brother of the 
 deceased, identified the body, and after an inspection of the scene 
 of the accident by the jury, the enquiry was adjourned for a week. 
 
 On the re-opening of the Court, Mr. Joseph Edward Brooks, 
 engineer at the Thornaby Ironworks, was called as a witness, and 
 said he beUeved the accident arose entirely from the stack 
 damper being down. The chain by which the damper was 
 worked did not extend into the chamber of the furnace, and 
 therefore neither the deceased nor Mr. Thompson could have 
 closed the damper after they had descended into the stoke-hole. 
 A few moments before Mr. Whitwell descended he gave instruc- 
 tions for the damper to be lifted a few inches, and this was done. 
 
 Doctor Laidler and other witnesses were examined, and 
 after a brief review by the Coroner of what had transpired, the jury 
 returned a verdict that the deceased had died from the effects of 
 scalds and burns received accidentally from an explosion whilst 
 endeavouring to ascertain the source of a leakage in connection 
 with the Bicheroux Gas Producer, the said explosion being caused 
 by a body of fire falling into the water below, through the drawing 
 of the fire bars. They also recommended that the size of the stoke- 
 hole should be increased, with a view to increased safety in future. 
 
THE FUNERAL. 
 
 The funeral of the deceased gentleman took place on Friday, 
 August 9, 1878, when some thousands of people assembled to pay a 
 last tribute of respect to him whom but a few days before they 
 had known in the enjoyment of perfect health. Throughout 
 the. town the principal business establishments — even the pub- 
 lic-honses— were closed, and the ships in the river hoist ed their 
 flags half-mast high. The south end of High Street and the 
 entire length of Bridge Road were occupied by the great multitude 
 of mourners assembled in order to precede and follow the f aner al 
 car. At half-past three the hearse drew slowly up to the resi- 
 dence of the deceased gentleman, and was followed by five plain 
 carriages for the conveyance of the relatives and immediate 
 friends. The coffin was at once carried to the hearse by tlie fore- 
 men of the various departments of the Thornaby Works, and the 
 relatives and friends having taken their seats in the carriages, the 
 sombre procession moved slowly forward toward the place of in- 
 terment at the Friends' Meeting House in Dovecot Street. The 
 line of route was thickly thronged by thousands of spectators, 
 many of whom reverently bared their heads as the corpse was 
 borne past. The spectacle was at once imx30sing, sad, and deeply 
 affecting. Contingents of the Borough and North Riding Con- 
 stabulary headed the procession, and were immediately followed 
 by the members of the Stockton, South Stockton, and Hartlepool 
 
THE FUXERAL. 
 
 51 
 
 Fire Brigades in full-dress uniform. The Town Council 
 of Stockton and the Magistrates of the borough 
 came next in order; then the members of the 
 South Stockton Local Board of Health, representatives of 
 the South Stockton Mechanics' Institute, and of the Cleveland 
 Institution of Engineers. Next in order of succession were a 
 large number of Freemasons, a body of representatives from the 
 Sons of Tempeiance Friendly Society, and the officials of the 
 Stockton Co operative Society. The managers and foremen of 
 the Thornaby Works and the office staff walked on either side of 
 the hearse, which followed at this point, together with the car- 
 riages containing the chief mourners. Immediately behind these 
 came a large number of the members and associates of the Young 
 Men's Christian Associations of the district. The Stockton Asso- 
 ciation was largely represented, and amoug the other places 
 who sent representatives were York (Mr. F. Lonsdale), Durham 
 (Mr. W. Warden), Sunderland (Mr. Frank Caws and Mr. J. C. 
 Moore), Newcastle (Mr. A. Hodder), Consett (Mr E. Ormerod), 
 Darlington, Middlesbrough, Yarm, and West Hartlepool. The 
 ordinary employees of the Thornaby Works followed next in suc- 
 cession ; then came a large representation from the Friends' Adult 
 Sunday School, the principal movers in the work of the Sunday 
 School Union, and lastly the members of the local Swimming Club. 
 Although the procession walked four deep, it extended along the 
 whole of that part of High Street between Dovecot Street and 
 Bridge Ecad, and must have numbered quite two thousand. 
 
52 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 On the arrival at the gates of the burial ground the 
 Police and Fire Brigades formed into lines, and maintained 
 a clear passage for the entrance of the public bodies who 
 immediately followed. When as many members as possible of 
 these bodies had entered the space allotted for their accommoda- 
 tion in the ground, the remainder of the mourners who were pre- 
 ceding the hearse followed the example of the PoHce and Fire 
 Brigades by falling into lines on either side. The coffin was then 
 taken from the hearse by the managers and foremen, and borne 
 through the graveyard in front of the relatives and the principal 
 friends of the deceased. The coffin, upon which lay three beauti- 
 ful wreaths of choice flowers, was at once lowered into the grave 
 in perfect silence. On the hd was a small brass plate, bearing the 
 simple words — 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL, 
 Died August 5th, 1878, 
 Aged 40 years. 
 
 For some minutes a solemn silence prevailed. 
 
 Mr. Isaac Brown, of Kendal, then addressed the assemblage 
 in the following terms : — There are many here who will feel 
 that we are surrounded by an atmosphere of peace, and that there 
 are those of whom we can say with assurance that we part with 
 them in the sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection— hope 
 established through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. We beheve there are those whose lives have been led 
 
THE FUNERAL. 
 
 53 
 
 dependent upon His grace — who having known His pardoning grace 
 in the first instance, have looked unto Him only for the grace 
 which shall keep and sustain them. Nothing of their own — all of 
 Christ. The Lord Jesus has said, " By their fruits ye shall know 
 them." Thus He has not enjoined it upon us to be faithful 
 merely, but has looked for something which shall give evidence of 
 the truth of the foundation of our faith. And so He becomes 
 unto us an ever-present Saviour ; He has been unto us a dying 
 Saviour, and has thus become a living and a risen Saviour — one 
 who said when He passed from His dear ones upon earth, " I am 
 with you always, even unto the end of the world." Always with 
 His chosen ones ! — with them who look unto Him for all they 
 need. This is the peace which we have round the graves of 
 those whose relatives and friends are left behind, and for whom 
 our commiseration is shown, with the blessed hope given through 
 the Lord Jesus. That which was intended for and given unto 
 His chosen is intended also for all of us. It is for us to accept the 
 same grace, and we can have it — the same pardoning and sustain- 
 ing grace which has always been extended to God's people. We 
 are all alike the children of our Father in Heaven ; we are the 
 creatures of His creating hand, and He looks for all of us to 
 become His children through faith in the Lord Jesus. It is His 
 will that we should look unto Him daily and hourly for all that 
 we require — ^regarding Him as our loving Father in Heaven, and 
 om'selves as loving children. Our Father loves to bestow His 
 blessing ux^on His children. If there be those amongst us who 
 
54 
 
 THOMAS WHIT WELL. 
 
 have it not, it rests with ourselves ; we are all invited to come 
 and to receive the blessing, which is offered freely to all. We do 
 know what that blessing is. We have heard the testimonies of 
 those who have gone before us ; we have seen what theu' hves have 
 been — how peacefully, how full of rest, how full of fruit to the 
 glory of God. Therefore it is for us on this occasion, mourning 
 the loss of one who has been dear to many — rejoicing on his 
 account that he is now translated to a higher life, a higher 
 happiness, yea, and a higher purpose, above ; rejoicing on his 
 account, though mourning on our own — it is for us on this occasion 
 to take the lesson which the Lord intends for us. He doeth 
 nothing in vain. It is not His will that this solemn event should 
 be lost upon anj^ soul present. He teaches by His providence, as 
 well as by His Word and His blessed Spirit. And all these provi- 
 dences of His are so many lessons for us, which we are to take 
 unto ourselves. I would that this day might be blessed unto 
 many souls, and that the grace of God may bring enduring peace, 
 many putting their trust in Him. The Lord Jesus loves us ; He 
 lives to love us, and has a pardon to offer for all our sins. Then, 
 having received Him, are you looking unto Him as an ever pre- 
 sent Saviour who is prexDared to help you all through life, and to 
 that hfe which is to come — helxJ you in the perx)lexities of life, 
 in the serious afflictions and troubles of life on eai-th ? He is 
 ever present by His Spirit, to love and comfoi-t those who have full 
 faith in a blessed Saviour, in which our departed brother is now 
 resting. We can bear testimony to . the faith and trust with 
 
THE FUNERAL. 
 
 55 
 
 hi m, knowing that he would have said with them that beheve, " I 
 am nothing of myself, but Christ is all-in-all," 
 
 Mr. E. B. EuTTER, of Newcastle, afterwards offered up 
 praj'er in the following words : — Lord, be pleased to remember 
 all of us in our low estate, and to increase our faith, that even 
 this sad event may make us more than ever look to those things 
 which are beyond the world. 0 Lord, we thank Thee for this, that 
 even in the midst of the terrible fire which was Thy instrument, 
 there was indeed one like the Son of God, on whom all of us feel 
 that if He be with us none can be against us. Be pleased, 
 gracious Father, to look down upon us, w^ho are w^eak, sinful beings 
 of the moment. Do Thou help us to open our eyes to see Thy 
 wondrous and eternal love, to make nothing shake our faith in 
 Thee, and to resolve that we, hke the dear one whose loss we 
 now mourn, will press forward and seize hold of the grace and hope 
 offered to us ; and w hatever others do, we will love and serve Thee. 
 0 God, teach us to reaUse how short our time is here, that we 
 may indeed prepare ourselves for that which must so soon come. 
 And may we remember those blessed words of Thy loved 
 One, and trust in our loved One even Jesus— the words con- 
 cerning Him by one who knew Him well, that He abolished 
 death ! and that to him who beHeves in Jesus there is no such 
 thing as death. Lord, help us to live that we can all die, and 
 that by whatever means that may be, think our death will but be a 
 peaceful end to this troublesome hfe, and a glorious entrance into 
 etei-nity. This life is offered to all of us, a life w^here Christ is at 
 
56 
 
 THOMAS WHITWJELL. 
 
 the right hand of God, and where pleasure reigns for evermore ; — 
 no more crying, no more death, no more sorrow, because there is 
 no more sin, but where we shall knovv as we are known. O Lord, 
 grant this prayer, for Thy mercy's sake. Amen. 
 
 The relatives and those near the grave then took a last and 
 loving glance at the coffin, and were followed by the whole proces- 
 sion and the assembled multitude, who filed in a slow and orderly 
 manner round the grave. 
 
DIVINE SERVICE. 
 
 Immediately after the funeral Divine serrice was held, by special 
 arrangement, in the Brunswick Wesleyan Chapel, Dovecot-street. 
 The first to speak was a member of the Society of Friends, who 
 delivered an earnest discourse upon the words "It is done, be- 
 cause Thou didst it." He said that under the present lamentable 
 circumstances it was difficult to keep down the tendencies of the 
 human heart. Sometimes we gathered round the grave of some aged 
 X^ilgrim we had loved long, and whose work in the world might be 
 regarded as at an end, and we mourned because they had gone, 
 notwithstanding that we might have anticipated their end ; but 
 here we were filled with surprise and sadness at the loss of one who 
 was in the meridian of his vigour, and who was a splendid exam- 
 ple of Christian manliness. The tendency of the heart was to 
 say — Why is this ? But the answer must be given in words wiser 
 than our own. As they had heard at the grave -side that after- 
 noon, even the fii-e itself was as a minister working out God's will ; 
 but they must remember that He worked all things for our good. 
 They had lost, through this sad event, a friend who had to those 
 about him made Hfe richer— one of those with whom they had 
 often taken sweet counsel. But he hoped they might all be 
 dehvered from those unprofitable thoughts respecting God's 
 wisdom, and acquiesce cheerfully and calmly in the will of Him 
 
58 
 
 THOMAS WRITWELL. 
 
 who allows not a sparrow to fall to the ground without notice. 
 — An impressive address was also delivered by Mr. Brown, in 
 which he alluded to the many Christian excellencies of the 
 deceased gentleman whose remains had just been committed to 
 the gi*ave. 
 
 A Young Men's Meeting was held in the Lecture Hall of the 
 Y.M.C.A. at eight o'clock the same evening, and was addressed by 
 several gentlemen. 
 
MEMORIAL SERVICES. 
 
 Special public services in menioriam of Mr. Whitwell were held 
 at the Exchange Hall, Stockton, on the afternoon and evening of Sun- 
 day, August 11, 1878. On both occasions the spacious building was 
 crowded in every part by a thoroughly representative assembly. 
 The body of the Hall was filled long before the time at which the 
 services were announced to commence, and by the time the 
 solemn proceedings were opened several hundreds found it 
 impossible even to obtain admission. The workmen of the 
 Thornaby Iron "Works w^ere present in large numbers wdth their 
 wives and friends, and many of the principal tradesmen of the 
 town and residents in the neighbourhood attended. At both 
 gatherings the presidential chair was taken by Mr. James 
 A. France. 
 
 The afternoon service commenced at three o'clock. Shortly 
 before that hour- the members and associates of the Young Men's 
 Christian Association wailvcd in procession from the Association 
 hooms to the Hall, and were accommodated wdth seats on the 
 plaifoim. Among those who also occui^ied seats on the platform 
 were the Rev. J. Nathaes, the Rev. D'Arcy Champney, of 
 Cambridge, Councillor J. Alderson, Mr. T. J. Thomson, and many 
 other w ell-knowTi gentlemen. 
 
 The service was opened by the singing of the beautifully 
 suggestive and especially appropriate hymn — 
 " To-morrow, Lord, is Thine." 
 
60 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 Mr. France then offered prayer in the following words : — O 
 God, Thou has taken from among us a valued friend — a loved 
 Christian brother ; wilt Thou not to-day, in Thy great goodness, 
 make our great loss up to us by the bestowal of a special blessing 
 upon this assembly. If it should be the lot of any member of 
 this assembly to be called a;S suddenly away as was our departed 
 friend, grant that they may be also ready. O Lord, give to those 
 who shall speak to-day Thy Holy Spirit ; let our service be such as 
 will be acceptable to Thee as worship, and such as shall be 
 profitable to each one of us ; and grant, O Lord, that Thy great 
 name may to-day be glorified for the sake of Jesus Christ, our 
 only Mediator. 
 
 A portion of the 14tli chapter of St. John's Gospel was next 
 read by Mr. France. The chapter, it will be remembered, com- 
 mences with the familiar and comforting words, " Let not your 
 hearts be troubled ; ye beheve in God, believe also in me." 
 
 Mr. France then said that he should not trust himself just 
 now to say anything about the dear friend who hael been called 
 from among them, but he had obtained permission to read an 
 extract or two from letters ^hich the late Mr. Whit well had very 
 recently written to a young man who was now in a very critical 
 state of ill-health. Speaking in his first letter of their Young 
 Men's Christian Association, their late friend said — "We have a 
 beautiful place, and sixty associates have joined since we got in. 
 But our work is the conversion of young men, and this must be 
 kept to the fore, or all else goes for nothing. ... I have just 
 
MEMORIAL SERVICES. 
 
 61 
 
 been reading the following passage from a book called ' Walk in 
 the Light,' by K. P. Smith — ' He walks in the hght of God who, 
 without evasion, brings every action, emotion, and thought into the 
 all searching hght and presence of God.' Those words, 'without 
 evasion,' is the secret of walking with Christ. I have for nearly 
 two weeks been seeking, ' without evasion,' to bring every action, 
 emotion, and thought to Christ, and it is wonderful, when you do 
 this, how you know of His presence and His peace. We have had 
 the Lord Jesus greatly in our Bible Classes, and I am persuaded 
 that His word shall not return unto Him void. I have sometimes 
 a thh-st on me to get young men to come to Christ. I don't want 
 auy self to mix up with the Christ-life which we should seek to live, 
 but Satan is always ready to put in the evil when he can." These 
 extracts, Mr. France reminded the assemblage, were from only one 
 of the letters. He would now read them a few from another 
 letter which Mr. Whitwell wrote only a day or two before his 
 lamentable death. The young friend to whom it was addi-essed 
 was not expected to survive very long, and it is probable that, a 
 few weeks hence, he may join his friend in a hax^x^ier world. It 
 appeared from the letter that Mr. Whitwell had been collecting 
 some " promises " to send his young friend, for he wrote: — "I 
 send you a gi-and one, with which we closed oui- Bible Class. It 
 is the third verse of the 26th chapter of Isaiah : ' Thou wilt keep 
 him in pei-fect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because 
 he trusteth in Thee.' And so in the days allotted to you may you 
 know this i^romise fulfilled. What a blessing it is that in Philip- 
 
62 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 pians we are assured that the peace of God shall keep our hearts 
 and minds through Jesus Christ : so may you know the peace of 
 God to flow as a river. I am glad that you got safely back (allud- 
 ing to a return from a journey), for, at any rate, you will have the 
 comfort of home, though that which some prize above all else — 
 long life — may not be your portion. The Christian has, however, 
 this blessmg, that all things that come to him are allowed if not 
 appointed of God ; and so you may have a better chance of entering 
 the gates than some of us. It is all in God's time and will. The 
 best thing that I can wish you is, that you may know the constant 
 presence of the Saviour." 
 
 Mr. Weatherley, of London, then engaged in prayer, and 
 afterwards addi-essed the assembly. He said he had little 
 expected a few days ago to have the sad privilege of taking part 
 in these memorial services. To-day they were mourning the 
 loss of one who was universally honoured, respected, and loved ; 
 but it struck him that, in one single sentence of the letter from 
 which Mr. France had been reading, they appeared to have an 
 explanation why one who was so useful and so dear to every one 
 of them had been hewn down by the bolt of death in so terrible a 
 manner and with such awful suddenness. It really seemed as 
 though his prayer for the conversion of young men was now about 
 to be ansAvered. If their lamented friend had passed away 
 under different circumstances his decease would not, perhaps, 
 have had the same effect which it unmistakably has. The awful 
 baptism of fire through which the Lord had called him to pass 
 
MEMOEIAL SERVICES. 
 
 63 
 
 seemed to be the means by which the word of the Hving God was 
 to bring the blessings of His salvation home to the hearts of many- 
 young men who were yet pursuing the road which leads to 
 destruction. If the late Thomas Whitwell could have heard the 
 eulogies which the newspapers had lavished upon his memorv 
 within the past week — if he could hear eveiy note of praise which 
 resounded in every heart— if all his good quaUties had been 
 summed up, even then he would have said,- like Job, who was the 
 most righteous moi-tal man who ever lived, " If I wash myself with 
 snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt Thou 
 plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me." 
 The speaker then j^i'oceeded to impress u^Don his hearers the 
 necessity of being "washed in the blood of the Lamb, Christ 
 Jesus," and, in conclusion, made an earnest appeal to aU the 
 young men present to stand boldly forth as soldiers of Christ in 
 the good and glorious work in which theu^ late departed friend had 
 taken so active and noble a part. 
 
 The Eev. D'Arcy Champney, of Cambridge, was the next 
 speaker. His remarks were exclusively addressed to the uncon- 
 verted portion of the assembly, and consequently did not deal 
 specially with the death of Mr. Whitwell. 
 
 The meeting concluded at a few minutes past four by prayer 
 and singing. 
 
THE EVENING SERVICE. 
 
 The evening service was opened at six o'clock in a similar 
 manner to the previous one, Mr. France again reading the extracts 
 from the letters of Mr. Whitwell. 
 
 Mr. Arthur Pease, of Darlington, was first called upon to 
 speak. He said they were met together that evening in one common 
 bond of sympathy. He knew not the various relations in which 
 many of those present stood to their departed friend, but he could 
 not but feel that that which had drawn them together was a bond 
 of common sympathy. Personally, he was bound to the late 
 Mr. Whitwell by ties of kindred. He and Mr. WhitweU were just 
 about the same age ; they had been associated more or less since 
 childhood; thek business lives had been very much mixed u]3 
 together ; they, too, had worked together in the cause of the Lord 
 of Hosts, and both belonged to the same reUgious community. 
 Under such circumstances, everyone could understand how ten- 
 derly — ^how very deeply — he felt the separation which had just 
 taken place. And now that they had assembled together that 
 night, he would be far from endeavouring to exalt his departed 
 friend and relative, but would rather endeavour to exalt the Grace 
 which made him what he was. Their lamented friend was a 
 co-worker with Divine grace, and through that he was what he 
 was. When looking around upon this wondrous concourse of 
 
THE EVENING SERVICE. 
 
 65 
 
 people, he was led to ask himself agam what influence had 
 brought them all together. It was, doubtless, on the part of 
 many sympath}^ with one who in the meridian of his life was sud- 
 denly cut off in a most terrible way ; others, perhaps, could look 
 back upon theh^ acquaintance with him as to one eminent in his 
 profession as a mechanical engineer ; and not a few had remem- 
 brance of then' association with him in his many noble efforts for 
 the elevation of the inhabitants of the town and district ; but, 
 notwithstanding all these mfluences were at work, there 
 could be no doubt that the one thing which had been 
 principally instrumental in drawing them together was the high 
 regard they all individually entertained for the character of their 
 deceased friend. They knew that a man's character must depend 
 upon the motives which prompted his daily actions ; and what 
 would they say were the motives which influenced the late Mr. 
 Whitwell ? Was it not love as the result of gratitude to the God 
 who had been so gracious to him ? God had bestowed upon him 
 all that the man of the world thinks necessary for the enjoyment 
 of the things of this Hfe, and had also revealed to him the 
 glorious salvation which was so dearly purchased for humanity by 
 Christ at Calvary's Cross. His sins, which were many, had 
 been forgiven, and he felt that he could safely commit himself to 
 the will of the Faithful Creator. 
 
 Upon such a solemn occasion as the present he thought 
 it would be well for them to draw some lessons from the life of Mr. 
 Whitwell. There were some who seemed to think that the life of 
 
66 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 a religious man must necessarily be one withdi-awu very much 
 from the occupations and interests of life. Now, in the case of 
 their dear departed friend they had an instance of one who was 
 enabled, through industrj^ and ability, to take a foremost place in 
 his profession. He was one who joined heartily in the pleasures 
 of life, whether it was in boating, swimming, or anything connected 
 with that which was useful, innocent, and virtuous. But, while 
 his time was largely occupied with the things of life, it was also 
 occupied with the things of eternity. There were many who felt 
 themselves constrained to withdraw entirely from secular pursuits, 
 and to devote themselves entirely to purely religious works. That, 
 however, could only be the case with a comx^aratively small number 
 — perhaps one in a thousand persons ; and this should teach them 
 that the blessings and privileges attaching to a Christian life were 
 not confined to any particular class or position or portion 
 of society. Let them, then, look hopefully into the future. 
 It often happened in the good providence of God that 
 when one of His labourers was taken out of the field 
 another, and perhaps several, were brought in to com^Dlete and 
 perfect the glorious work which had been so well begun. The 
 death of Thomas Whitwell had indeed left a gap at the Young 
 Men's Christian Association, a gax^ which many would probably 
 say it would be difficult to fill so effectually as then- late friend 
 had filled it. It was not, however, for each one connected with 
 that excellent work to ask himself the question whether he 
 could fill the empty place ; but rather a time for each member 
 
IHE E]'ENIXG SERVICE. 
 
 67 
 
 and each associate to ask liiinseK mdividually what place the 
 Lord would have hhn to fill. Let them bear in mind that Thomas 
 Whitwell did not fill his place at that Association or elsewhere by 
 endeavouring to copy the works of anyone who had preceded 
 him. He did the work which each day brought with it in 
 the way which he thought his Lord and Master would 
 have him to do it. It should be felt that the foundation 
 of the strong regard in which ]Mr. Whitwell was held 
 was his true Christian character, and they should learn 
 the lesson which God would have them learn from this terrible 
 accident. In the awful calamity, which had struck home to the 
 hearts of so many in Stockton and elsewhere, let them not merely 
 say that there was a lesson to be learned, but let each boldly ask 
 himself the question — What is the lesson which the Lord would 
 have me leam from it '? 
 
 Mr. Weatheeley and the Eev. Mr. Champxey again 
 addressed the meeting, which closed at eight o'clock with singing 
 and prayer. 
 
 During the evening an " overflow meeting" was held at the 
 Friends' Meeting House in Dovecot Street. 
 
SERMONS AT THE VARIOUS 
 CHURCHES, 
 
 In almost every place of public worship iu the town — and 
 throughout the countrj^ — the death of Mr. Whitwell was feehngly 
 alluded to. 
 
 At St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, theKev. J. Bogue bore 
 testimony to the manly, unaffected Christian character of the 
 deceased ; — his zeal, fervent and sagacious, and his persever- 
 ance for the good of others. His religion, said the rev. preacher, 
 was of a traly catholic order, unchilled by sectarian feehng, and 
 this it was which fitted him for bringmg together men of different 
 sections of the Church, which made his house a common meeting 
 place for settling plans of combined operations. Thus, when the 
 American Evangelists were in this country he brought about their 
 visit to Stockton, and if any received simitual benefit, as he 
 believed many did, it was through Mr. Whitwell's instrumentality. 
 The first and last occasions of his seeing Mr. Whitwell had been 
 frequently in his mind during the last few days. The fii-st was 
 when in a neighbouring town he heard him detail his experiences 
 in the distribution of rehef to the sick and wounded in war, and 
 the last was at the noon x^rayer meeting, when it was resolved, 
 to his manifest annoyance and disappointment, to discontinue 
 
SERVICES AT THE VARIOUS CHURCHES. 69 
 
 it during the summer months. Putting the first with the last, 
 they had Mr Whit well's character clearly brought before them. 
 He was eminently practical, and he was at the same time a man 
 of prayer— prayerful because practical. He was taken suddenly, 
 and in a way which intensified their grief. That cry of his 
 for mercy was heard. In mercy he was speedily taken. 
 Thank God, they could cherish the assurance, "It is well ;" 
 " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." 
 
 The Kev. Thomas Law, vicar of Saint James's, Stockton, 
 preaching from the text John, 18th chapter, 7th verse, " What 
 I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter," 
 referred as follows to the death of Mr. Whitwell : — Who does 
 not feel the full force of this mystery in the sad visitation which has 
 fallen upon this community since last we met within these waUs — 
 a visitation coming upon us with all the swiftness and sudden- 
 ness of the electric flash, and bearing with it through the length 
 and breadth of the place and neighbourhood the burden of an 
 overwhelming and universal sorrow. In the fulness of his 
 strength, in the prime of manhood, in the midst of his great and 
 increasing usefulness, with spiritual eye undimmed and natural 
 force unabated, one has been taken from us, as in a moment, of 
 whom it is no presumption to say that he was at once one of the 
 noblest of men, the worthiest of citizens, the truest of Christians. 
 When, on Tuesday morning last, the sad tidings reached us that 
 he was no more, we felt in an instant that a power and influence 
 for good had been witlidraAvn from amongst us which would not 
 
70 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 be replaced, and that we, of this generation at least, should not 
 look uiDon his like again. Noble, manly, single-hearted, true, 
 emphatically a man— aye, a man of God, were the thoughts and 
 words which arose instinctively in my own heart, and trembled 
 npon my lips, when I first heard that Thomas Whitwell had 
 ceased to be amongst mortal men. Thrown together, as we often 
 were, in more than one branch of his gi'eat life-work, it was my 
 privilege to know him, and to know him intimately, for many 
 years — what he was, and what he did. And as my memory 
 travels back over those bygone years, and recalls the work of his 
 earnest, devoted, self-less Christian life, with the spuit which 
 ever characterised it, I seem to be traversing a path whose 
 luminous course is undimmed by a shadow, and upon whose rich 
 outgoings the blessing of the Almighty appears unceasingly to 
 rest. How one feels at this moment the loss we have all sus- 
 tained ; how one feels the loss society has sustained; how one feels 
 especially the loss to the rising youth of this town and neigh- 
 bourhood — (oh ! how his heart yearned over them, and for 
 their good) ; how one feels the loss to the whole Church of 
 God ! God, indeed, ' moves in a mysterious way.' What 
 He is doing we hardly know now. We lift our eyes and 
 strive to pierce the mystery of His providence, but clouds and 
 darkness are round about him. We cannot see at present why He 
 has taken our dear brother away; we wanted him so much, we 
 needed him so much, we loved him so much, we shall miss him 
 so much. If there was one being the continuance of whose life 
 
SER VICES AT THE VARIOUS CHURCHES. 
 
 71 
 
 more than that of any other seemed necessary at this juncture for 
 the furtherance of the good work of God in this ^Dlace, that being was 
 assuredly he whose early death we— we, of all classes, of all ranks, 
 and of all creeds— now so deeply mourn. Doubtless it is all right ; 
 the Judge of all the eai-th must do right. He, indeed, giveth no 
 account of His matters ; yet He doeth all things well. And could 
 we see as we are seen, and know as we are known, our answer 
 respecting this apparent calamity would, I am persuaded, be but 
 the answer of the bereaved Shunammite mother over her beloved 
 but now depai-ted child — 'It is well! It is well!' Out of 
 seeming evil God can, and does, bring forth much good, 
 turning often the heaviest sorrows of life into life's richest blessings. 
 Even now, in this dark visitation, I think I see a silver lining 
 shimmering through the overshadowing cloud. The life of our 
 brother — a privilege given to but few of the sons of men — seemed, 
 by its singleness and truth, so to rise above the common life of 
 man as to almost force upon us the conviction that humanity had 
 not altogether fallen in Adam, or, rather, that man's loss in Adam 
 could be almost whoUy regained, even here below, in Cln'ist 
 Jesus. Now, if God has been pleased so to reveal His dear Son 
 in him as to enable him thus to elevate and enrich human life 
 while he hved, may He not have reserved to His servant a jet 
 higher distinction in His service, and, in taking him to Himself, 
 vouchsafe to his memory a power and influence for good over 
 those who remain which shall be more fruitful of blessing still ? 
 What He does we know not ; we cannot understand now. But 
 
72 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 iu fcouls— won to Heaven by the examx^le of our beloved brother — 
 iiisph-ed by his memory to greater zeal, devotion, and self- 
 sacrifice in the service of theii- common Master, and joining Him, 
 at length, in the great assembly of the just made i^erfect, we may, 
 we shall, know hereafter. 
 
THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 [The news of mj clear frieud's death reached me while on a 
 tour in Switzerland and Italy, and cast not a httle gloom over my- 
 self and my other fellow-traTellers by whom he was known. De- 
 prived of the opportunity of foUo^slng his remains to the grave, I 
 lovingly dedicate these lines to his memory. They were mentally 
 composed while travelling — sometimes hj day, sometimes by night 
 — and were completed at Bellagio, on the beautiful Lake of Como._ 
 
 Let the tears freely flow, ye broken-hearted ; 
 
 We build oui- hopes in vain ; 
 Alas ! our Israel's gloi-y hath departed ; 
 
 Not in the battle slain, 
 
 Where rival foemen, in the field's high places, 
 
 Were lock'd in deadly fi'ay ; 
 Yet ask we not, with doubting in our faces, 
 
 How went the fight to-day ? 
 
 In duty's path our brother could not falter ; 
 
 He di-eaded not the fii-e ; 
 And fittingly upon his own high altar 
 
 Was ht his funeral pyre. 
 
 Xo need is there to ask how he compoited 
 
 Himself in that dread hour ; 
 Beside him walked, vdth. features undistorted, 
 
 The Son of God in power ; + 
 
 t Daniel ch. 3. v. 25. 
 
74 
 
 THOMAS WHITWELL. 
 
 Holding him gently by the hand that trusted 
 
 His Saviour as his guide ; — 
 That hand which years ago by faith was thrusted 
 
 Into the wounded side. 
 
 With this sweet solace cease we our rebelling 
 
 Against the All-Wise Will ; 
 While with the thoughts that from our hearts ccme welling 
 
 We commune, and are still. 
 
 Here, as by Como's lake I peer at even, 
 
 V]i through the fading blue, 
 From eyelets pierc'd in the bright brow of Heaven, 
 
 Shimmers the glory through. 
 
 No sound of busy day comes o'er me stealing — 
 
 No plash of labouring oar ; 
 But, Oh ! what beauty is the moon revealing 
 
 Upon yon farther shore. 
 
 And so, though Fate our hope is ever shrouding 
 
 In Earth's all -grasping womb, 
 We see a day-dawn that shall know no clouding — 
 
 An Earth without a tomb. 
 
 Adieu ! but not for aye, brave Alpine climber — 
 
 We soon shall meet again. 
 Oh ! surely never liv'd a soul sublimer 
 
 Among the sons of men. 
 
 Beyond Earth's highest peaks now art thou breasting, 
 
 Beyond the Matterhom ; 
 Up where the Alpen-gliihen's flush is cresting 
 
 With earliest tints of morn. 
 
THOMAS WBITWELL. 
 
 15 
 
 Zermatt's chill vale behind for ever leaving, 
 
 Thou gaily speedest on ; 
 Beyond the purpled Monte Rosa cleaving, 
 
 Thy face is to the sun. 
 
 And as I follow thee sweet chords strike liner, 
 
 Shaping themselves for song ; 
 And in an atmosi^here that grows diviner, 
 
 I cry, " Oh Lord ! how long ?" 
 
 Gone,— yet still here ; dead,— yet alive for ever,— 
 
 Ours, brother, art thou still ; 
 Ours thy grand purpose— ours thy high endeavour — 
 
 Ours thy unresting will. 
 
 " Have roercy on me. Lord," they heard thee saying; 
 
 Amen ! so let it be ; 
 Prayer was thy labour, and thy labour praying : 
 
 Now— praise eternally. 
 
 T. Crosby.